New Zealand Disasters New Zealand Disasters Diary writing taskDiary writing task

You need to write diary entries for a You need to write diary entries for a person involved in a New Zealand disaster.person involved in a New Zealand disaster.

1 Diary entry while disaster struck.1 Diary entry while disaster struck.1 Diary entry after disaster struck.1 Diary entry after disaster struck.

New Zealand DisastersNew Zealand Disasters

• Click on the link beneath to discover New Zealand Disasters:

• New Zealand Disasters - Christchurch City Libraries

Read diary entries from people that Read diary entries from people that survived a disaster.survived a disaster.

• Diary entries from survivors

Disaster Fiction - These are stories Disaster Fiction - These are stories based around historical disasters. based around historical disasters.

• Batistich, Amelia A better life: the diary of Ivana Ivanovich, Dargaville, 1924-25– When, at the end of 1924 a

polio (infantile paralysis) epidemic spreads throughout New Zealand, children are the most affected. Schools and movie theatres close, and Ivana is not even allowed to go to church.

• Earthquake• McVeagh, Janine

Earthquake: the diary of Katie Bourke, Napier 1930-1931– It is the time of the Great

Depression, and Katie Bourke’s family are finding it a struggle to keep food on the table. But when Katie returns to school after the summer holidays, everything appears to be normal until the classroom floor begins to shake…

Disaster Fiction - These are stories Disaster Fiction - These are stories based around historical disasters.based around historical disasters.

(Continue)(Continue)• Ell, Sarah

When the war came home– November 1918 the end of the

first World War, and the time when the influenza epidemic spreading across Europe arrived in New Zealand. While his mother leaves Auckland with the younger members of the family, Jimmy K remains behind with his uncle.

• Railway Accident• Hill, David

Journey to Tangiwai: the diary of Peter Cotterill, Napier, 1953– Peter is a scout, and his patrol

is travelling by train to Auckland to compete in a first aid contest. But it is Christmas Eve, 1953, and the crater wall of Mt Ruapehu has collapsed, sending a torrent of mud, water and ice down into the Whangehu River, and smashing the rail bridge near the small town of Tangiwai.

Disaster Fiction - These are stories Disaster Fiction - These are stories based around historical disasters.based around historical disasters.

(Continue)(Continue)• Corlett, Shirley

Abandon ship!: the diary of Debbie Atherton, Wellington, 1968– Debbie is returning to

Wellington from Christchurch on the inter-island ferry, Wahine, when two storm fronts meet over Wellington, turning the Wellington Harbour into a raging sea where the Wahine struggles to survive.

• Hill, David No safe harbour– Twins Stuart and Sandra

are coming home to Wellington on the overnight ferry from Lyttelton. But it is April 1968 and the ship is the Wahine.

Disaster Fiction - These are stories Disaster Fiction - These are stories based around historical disasters.based around historical disasters.

(Continue)(Continue)• Volcanic Eruption• Corlett, Shirley

Fire in the sky: the diary of James Collier, Tarawera, 1886– James and his father have

travelled to the village of Te Wairoa so that his father can paint the marvellous Pink and White Terraces. But one night the earth begins to shake, and an enormous volcanic eruption lights the sky. Mt Tarawera has erupted.

• Locke, Elsie A canoe in the mist– Lillian lives with her mother

at Te Wairoa, where tourists come to see the Pink and White Terraces. But a mysterious ‘waka wairua’, a ghost canoe, has been seen on the lake, and a tohunga is prophesying doom and disaster.

Possible disasters:Possible disasters:

Disaster 1Disaster 1New Zealand Disasters Fact FileNew Zealand Disasters Fact File

Wahine ShipwreckWahine ShipwreckWhen: 10 April, 1968Where: Barrett Reef, Wellington HarbourWahine Shipwreck 1968 - New Zealand Disasters - Christchurch City Libraries

Wahine ShipwreckWahine Shipwreck What happened?What happened?

• On the morning of 10 April, 1968, Cyclone Giselle hit Wellington at the same time as another storm which had driven up the West Coast of the South Island from Antarctica. The two storms met over the capital city, creating a single storm just as the inter-island ferry Wahine was crossing Cook Strait.

• The Wahine had left Lyttelton at 8:40 pm the night before, carrying 610 passengers and 123 crew. There had been storm warnings, but nothing to say that this storm would be any worse than other winds in the strait well known for its rough seas.

• The ferry travelled up the east coast of the South Island and headed for Wellington Harbour. By now the winds were gusting at between 130 and 150 kilometres per hour.

• At 5:50 am on the morning of 10 April the captain of the Wahine, Captain Hector Robertson decided to enter the harbour.

• Twenty minutes later the ferry was alongside Pencarrow Head. The winds had increased to 160 kilometres per hour, and those on board could only see for a distance of 800 metres. On board the Wahine the radar system was no longer working.

Wahine ShipwreckWahine Shipwreck

• A huge wave pushed the Wahine off course and in line with Barrett Reef, and the captain was unable to turn back on course. The force of another massive wave threw him across the bridge of the ship.

• He decided to keep turning the ferry and try to bring the Wahine around and back out to sea again. For 30 minutes the Wahine fought the waves, but by 6:40 am had been driven back onto the rocks of Barrett Reef.

• The Wahine founders off Steeple Rock near Seatoun, Wellington, 10.4.68. Dominion Sunday Times Special Edition.

• Most of the passengers did not realise that the ferry had struck rocks because they could tell little difference between that impact and the battering the ship was receiving.

Wahine ShipwreckWahine Shipwreck• Captain Robertson ordered the closing of all watertight doors and

dropped both anchors when he learnt that none of the engines was working.

• Passengers were told that the ferry was aground on the reef, and to put on their lifejackets and report to their assembly points around the ship.

• The accident was reported to the signal station at Beacon Hill, just above Point Dorset, and the crew prepared the life-saving equipment. Flooding was reported in four compartments and the vehicle deck, which could affect the stability of the ship.

• As the intensity and power of the storm grew, the winds increased, and the Wahine dragged its anchors. At this stage the weather was so bad that no help could be given from the harbour or the shore.

• Gradually the Wahine drifted further down the harbour, until she was just by Steeple Rock, off Point Dorset. By now a tug had set off from Queens Wharf to try and reach the Wahine.

Wahine ShipwreckWahine Shipwreck• At about 11:00 am a line from the tug was used to try and tow the ferry, but

the line gave way. Other attempts failed, but the deputy harbourmaster managed to climb aboard the Wahine from the pilot launch which had also reached the scene.

• At about 1:15 pm the combined effect of the tide and the storm swung the Wahine round so that there was a patch of clear water sheltered from the wind and the sea on the starboard side. This was on the side towards which the ferry was leaning more and more.

• Captain Robertson had not considered abandoning the ship earlier because he felt it was safer for the passengers to remain on board, given the storm conditions. But now the order was given to abandon ship.

• Passengers, not told before how serious the situation was, were now confused and frightened. People slid across the sloping deck, trying to make their way to the lifeboats.

• Only the four starboard lifeboats could be launched, and crewmen tried to get as many people as possible onto them. One lifeboat was swamped when it hit the water and people were lost into the sea. Some managed to hold onto the boat as it drifted across the harbour to the eastern shore.

Wahine ShipwreckWahine Shipwreck

Possible disasters:Possible disasters:

Disaster 2Disaster 2New Zealand Disasters Fact FileNew Zealand Disasters Fact File

Napier EarthquakeNapier Earthquake

• When: 3 February, 1931• Where: Napier and Hastings, Hawke's

Bay

Napier EarthquakeNapier Earthquake

• Summary• In 1931, New Zealand’s deadliest

earthquake devastated the cities of Napier and Hastings. At least 256 people died in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake 161 in Napier, 93 in Hastings, and 2 in Wairoa. Many thousands more required medical treatment.

Napier EarthquakeNapier Earthquake

• What happened – to find out what happened, follow the link below…

• Napier Earthquake 1931 - New Zealand Disasters - Christchurch City Libraries

napier earthquake - Google Image napier earthquake - Google Image SearchSearch

Possible disasters:Possible disasters:

Disaster 3Disaster 3New Zealand Disasters Fact FileNew Zealand Disasters Fact File

Tangiwai Railway Disaster 1953Tangiwai Railway Disaster 1953

• When: 24 December, 1953• Where: Tangiwai, Central North Island

Tangiwai Railway Disaster 1953Tangiwai Railway Disaster 1953

• What happened – to find out what happened, follow the link below…

• Tangiwai Railway Disaster 1953 - New Zealand Disasters - Christchurch City Libraries

Tangiwai railway disaster - Google ITangiwai railway disaster - Google Image Searchmage Search

Possible disasters:Possible disasters:

Disaster 4Disaster 4New Zealand Disasters Fact FileNew Zealand Disasters Fact File

Volcanoes: Mt TaraweraVolcanoes: Mt Tarawera

• When: 10 June 1886• Where: Mount Tarawera, Central North

Island

Volcanoes: Mt TaraweraVolcanoes: Mt Tarawera

• Near Rotorua, New Zealand: At 2:00am 10 June 1886, terrified families awoke to a rumbling giant, the noise was heard over 500 kilometres away. The mountain, lit by a tremendous display of lightning, rained ash upon her neighbours and began the deadly renovation of her buried landscape. This is the factual account of Mount Tarawera, the volcano that stole more than life.

Volcanoes: Mt TaraweraVolcanoes: Mt Tarawera

• What happened – to find out what happened, follow the link below…

• Volcanoes: Mt Tarawera - New Zealand Disasters - Kids - Christchurch City Libraries

Mt Tarawera eruption - Google Mt Tarawera eruption - Google Image SearchImage Search

Remember to be a Diary Detective Remember to be a Diary Detective ……

Past tense

ChattyStyle/

Informal

First Person - I

Date atthe top

Add feelings

Add Juicy bits

Diaryentries

Do now …Do now …

• You need to write diary entries for a person involved in a New Zealand disaster.

• Write:– 1 Diary entry while disaster struck.– 1 Diary entry after disaster struck.

References:References:

• Google images• http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Kids/

NZDisasters/• http://www.anheizen.com/